(OOC: I will set up an OOC thread shortly for posting profiles and related oddments. As always, no one loves a powergaming godmoder in a casual roleplay unless it's Granny Weatherwax, and she's fictional. For consistency, please stay in third person past tense.)

It had rained heavily the night before, petering out into a drizzle as the sun rose. Still, it was an overcast morning, and much of the townfolk were staying indoors. Only those with work or business were on the streets. A few merchants were setting up their stalls. On the dock, a few longshoremen were repairing a ship while an another familiar one approached from the horizon.

A fine mist hovered over the ground. Maris sat crosslegged on a barrel by the road, and made a face when a cart trundled by, throwing up mud in gobbets and spattering her pale clothes.

Usually she wouldn't have been up, but she had jolted awake that morning to the sound of the innkeeper's children cooing and babbling downstairs.

"Bloody kids," she mumbled.

It was far too early to be in the bar, and she had been warned about monsters in the ruins about the island. Maris slouched deeper into her overcoat and wondered what to do.

Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici"By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe."

A slow dribble of water fed by the earlier sprinkling of rain, fell steadily from a broken gutter onto a piled heap of oilskins and dirty furs. Only a small part of the detritus that littered the dank alley.

The rags shifted now and again in rhythm with the unrelenting drips. An ear now poked out, twitching as it was exposed to the splats of cold water. Whatever resided under the rags could bear it no longer seemingly and flinging aside its dirty covers stood up abrubtly. A little too abruptly apparently as it had to put out a dirty furred paw to steady themselves against a handy wall.

The Gnoll first stretched, bones cracking in protest, then followed with a wide yawn. There was a flash of pink as his tounge flashed out. Shaking his pelt to rid himself of the damp he stepped out into the tangle of mainstreets Tharsk thought only of how hungry he was. The merchants were still fussing over their unpacked wares. So he found himself gazing at the nearest inn, unable to read the colourfull sign that hung above its door.

A female perched on a barrel beside the Inn. Tharsk started to stride across the street with his dark eyes focused on her, determined to ask if the inn was open.

It was true that is was so early but a small man in a dark cloak walked animatedly towards the Tall tower at the top of town. He had a bounce in his step and was light enough to avoid all the mud though at one point his foot sank to deep and he tripped near a Gnoll.

"Oh goodness me! I just got these washed!"

He tried to get back up and slipped again, the cloak falling back to reveal a small Drow. He slipped again and landed face first, making frustrated noises.

"Bangra! Bangra were are you! Its got me ITS GOT ME!!"

This was promptly followed by a small explosion that sent the Mage flying into the air and into a water troft near a girl sitting on a barrel. His hair in his eyes, he spits out mud and water. His clothes slightly singed. He pushes hair out of his face and looks to the girl.

He pulls himself out of the troft. His bare feet hitting the muddy group he almost slips again.

"I have a new invention to show Master Karrs! I almost have it complete I just new a few more things completed"

He reaches into his robes and pulls out a strange key. He smiles showing small fangs.

"This my dear girl will change planer travel forever"

He was still soaking wet, and hard to take serioiusly. Even with the sudden serious look on his handsome face.

"It can open door ways to anywhere." He whispers. "But I was told not to show anyone, so shhh" He puts a finger to his lips and slips the key back into a pocket in his robes. The with a red glow dusts himself off until he was clean and dry again. He stops looking at her then waves a hand over her as well. She was clean suddenly too. Warm and dry.

Tharsk had stood dumbfounded for a moment at the small strange figure sliding around the mud. What he had taken for a clown had revealed itself to be a mage with an explosive splatter of mud. Wiping globlets of slime off his muzzle he grinned. A few moments later he stood before the drow and female. He bowed with a flourish of his hand that looked oddly out of place coming from a Gnoll.

"Bravo, Bravo!" he sniggered, whilst sticking out a dirty paw offering to steady the mage in the slippery mire.

Astrafis smiles brightly up at the Gnoll and claps his hands in delight taking the paw graciously.

"Oh my a Gnoll!! How exquisite! How enchanting! How wonderfully quaint!" He looks at the mud and wiggles his already muddy toes. "This mud is quiet the death trap! I've never been very good at ballet! But with a strong arm like yours the mud no longer thwarts me how delightfully ironic!"

He looks around.

"To be perfectly honest I'm not a dancer! In fact the last time I danced was 100 years ago to the tune of L' Lil'alure d' natha szithrel qwe'en! A wonderful piece that involves a lot of pain if you screw up! Or translated from under common is roughly the dance of a thousand needles."

He tries to hum a few of the bars and for such a good little voice he trails off, and waves a hand.

"Bah I don't remember it anymore. Oh how rude of me!" He perks up then bows to both Gnoll and female alike.

"My name is Astrafis Armgo, from house Barrsion Del'Armgo!Its a pleasure to meet you both!"

She scratched the back of her neck as the two men persons talked. This much enthusiasm at this hour was doing her head in.

Still, manners were manners. "Maris Iuvenson," she said, doffing her cap. "I'd get up and introduce myself properly, but I think my legs are asleep. Best spare you boys the more flailing and splattering and all."

Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici"By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe."

"I'm sure you can move your feet better than m'dance partner Astrafis here..." he said tilting his head at the mage gripping his paw.

Remembering he'd not introduced himself, the Gnoll met the womans eye, his recital of self appointed titles rolling quickly off his tounge.

"Pinkskin and redeye, I greet you as Tharsk, the skald with a scalding tounge, teller of tales, jokes, jibes and halftruths. We know why the Mage has roused himself so early, so why d'you sit out here in lingering mist?"

"Just woke up too early." Maris shrugged. "There's not a lot a places that are open this time, and not many to hang around in anyway even later in the day. I'd've stayed in there --" she cocked her head at the direction of the inn "-- but the innkeeper's kids are making a racket and a half. Little demons."

Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici"By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe."

In reply to Maris, Tharsk was about to comment on the unbridled enthusiasm of the innkeepr's pups but then the mage facedived into the mud with a loud squelch. Unable to hold back his baying yelping laughter, Tharsk hauled the dimunative mage to his feet by gripping his shoulders.

"I've seen kolbolds with more grace than you ashborn. You may have the magical mastery of the cosmos in your fingers, but what use is that if you can't master your own feet?"

Astrafis sighs as he's pulled to his feet. and after wiping muck from his face he looks forlorned to the others.

"My escort is no where to be seen. I think he was eaten." He whispers to them. "But it is imperative that I reach Master Karrs at once. But Alas I have used my teleports for the day in my travels threw the Underdark and after my escort was eaten by a monster!"

He wiggles in toes in the mud.

"I would appreciate the help. Though you might want to be wary I here Goffs are out in full and the little beasts love to run up your nose and swivel your brains about! ON WARD FRIENDS!!"

He turns towards the market. It was the fast4ed way to get to Karrs tower at the top of the Island. If not correct was the home to the Slave trade, and illegal wares area. were most ship drop there cargo be it alive or not. Coral Island had a reputation to hold and if you caused trouble;e in that area Karrs men saw to it that you did no such thing again.